Golf ball retriever



Nov. 10, 1953 L, JONES 2,658,785

GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Filed Jan. 4, 1951 IN VENTORL Alexia/7%? Jones ATTD RNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1953 t +1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Llewellyn Jones, Coos Bay, Oreg.

Application January 4, 1951, Serial No. 204,393

3 Claims.

This invention relates to devices made in the form of a tool with an elongated round handle and with gripping means at the end of the handle for retrieving golf balls, and in particular this invention includes a telescoping handle with coacting Wire loops extended from the end of, the handle and with a spring wire coil on the handle for retaining an inner telescoping section in the end of whch the wire loops are mounted, in adjusted positions.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a device for retrieving golf balls that may be car" ried in the conventional golf club bag and that may readily be extended for use.

Various devices have been provided for retrievin golf balls and otherdevices from hazards such as sand, swamps, pools and the like, however, extensible devices of this type now on the market are too complicated or troublesome for continuous use and, therefore, are not used by the average golfer. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a comparatively simple handle with an extensible section slidably mounted therein and with wire loops on the end of the extensible section for picking up a golf ball.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming a handle with golf ball holding means at the end so that the handle may be carried in a golf bag and also so that the length of the handle is adjustable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf ball retriever that is of comparatively light weight so that it is not objectionable to carry.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved golf ball retriever which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an elongated tubular handle having spaced annular indentations therein, a rod slidably mounted in the handle and having recesses positioned to correspend with the indentations of the handle, wire loops extended from the end of the rod, and a spring wire latch having a loop positioned to extend into the indentations of the handle for coacting with the recesses of the telescoping rod for retaining the rod in adjusted positions.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the golf ball retriever showing the inner member in the handle and with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a similar view taken at a right angle to that shown in Figure 1, showing the lower part of the handle and inner member broken away and illustrating a method of mounting the Wire loops in the end of the inner member.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the handle taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 illustrating the spring wire loop for holding the telescoping parts in adjusted positions and showing the ball gripping loops at the end of the inner member.

Figure 4; is a cross section through the handle taken on line 4'-4 of Figure 1 showing an extension on the upper end of the spring wire loop of the latch extended into an opening in the handle for retaining the latch in position.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a longitudinal section through the lower part of the handle with the inner member positioned therein and showing a modification wherein an enlargement is provided on the inner end of the inner member for preventing accidental separation of the parts and in this view parts are broken away.

Figure 6 is a cross section through the lower end of the inner member taken on line #5-5 of Figure 5 illustrating a method of crimping the ball gripping loops in the end of the inner member.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved golf ball retriever of this invention includes a tubular handle l0, an inner member slidably mounted in the handle which may be in the form of a rod II as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or tube l2 as shown in Figure 5 in which the tube is slidably mounted in a handle !3, ball gripping loops I4 and I5, and a spring wire latch It.

The handle l0 may be provided with a cap or knob I! which is positioned on the upper end and the knob is provided with a stem l8 which extends into the upper end of the tubular handle. The knob is secured in the handle by an annular ridge formed by an annular indentation I9 rolled or otherwise formed in the handle and positioned to grip the stem l8. The handle is also provided with a slot 20 which, as illustrated in Figure 3, is substantially semi-circular and a spring wire loop 2| on the end of the latch I 6 is positioned to snap into the slot 2|] so that it may extend into annular recesses 22 and 23 and 24 that may be provided at spaced points in the outer surface of the inner member whereby the length of the handle is adjustable to provide substantially any length desired.

The upper end of the latch i6 is provided with a spring coil 25 and the end. Of the coil is formed,

inwardly to provide a pin 26 that extends into an opening 21 in the wall of the handle I0, as shown in Figure 4 whereby the latch .is located longitudinally on the handle.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the ball gripping loops l4 and i5 are formed with substantially semi-circular lower sections 28 and 29, respectively and from the ends of the semi-circular sections loops extend vertically upwardly with the upper ends of the vertical sections connected to horizontal sections 30 and 31 of the loop I4 and 32 and 33 of the loop l5. The ends of the horizontal sections of the loop [4 extends inwardly and slope upwardly with vertically disposed ends 34 and 35 on the upper ends. The loop I5 is provided with similarly extended ends as indicated by the numeral 36 and these ends are crimped in an opening 31 in the lower end of the inner member or rod H by a ridge 38 formed inwardly from the annular recess 22, as illus-v trated in Figure 2.

In the design shown in Figure 5 the upwardly extended end of the loops, as indicated by the numerals 39 and 40 are crimped in a ferrule 41 on the lower end of the inner telescoping member [2. The upper end of the member [2 is provided with an enlargement 42 which slides against the inner wall 43 of the tubular handle I3 and with the lower part of the tube l2 slidably held in a ferrule 44 in the lower end of the handle the inner tubular member is supported at two points whereby it is rigidly held.

By this means a swedged bottle neck is provided on the retriever end of the outer shaft or handle which prevents the inner telescoping section accidentally sliding out of the handle and a similar swedged-like ferrule is provided at the end of the inner shaft or tube for retaining the ball retaining loops in the end thereof.

The handle [3 is also provided with a slot similar to the slot 20 and the inner tubular member I2 is provided with recesses similar to the recesses 22, 23 and 24 whereby a latch, similar to the latch l6, positioned on the handle [3, retains the inner tubular member in adjusted positions.

It will be understood that other modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf ball retriever comprising an elongated tubular handle having a transversely disposed slot in the wall thereof spaced from one end and an opening in the wall spaced inwardly from the slot, a spring wire latch having a mounting coil on one end extended around the handle so that one end of the coil will enter the opening in the handle and having a coil on the opposite end positioned to extend into the slot of the handle, said latch positioned on and spaced from the lower end of the handle and extioned to register with the slot of the handle 4 whereby the coil of the latch extended through the said slot snaps into one of said recesses for retaining the said inner member in adjusted positions in the handle, and ball retaining wire loops extended from the said inner member.

2. A golf ball retriever comprising an elongated tubular handle having a transversely disposed slot in the wall thereof spaced from one end and an opening in the wall spacedinwardly from the slot, a spring wire latch having a mounting coil on one end extended around the handle so that one end of the coil will enter the opening in the handle and having a coil on the opposite end positioned to extend into the slot of the handle, said latch positioned on and spaced from the lower end of the handle and extending along the handle in angular relation thereto, means retaining the said latch in position upon the handle, an inner member slidably mounted in the handle and having recesses therein positioned to register with the slot of the handle whereby the coil of the latch extended through said slot snaps into one of said recesses for retaining the said inner member in adjusted positions in the handle, and ball retaining wire loops extended from the said inner member.

3. A gold ball retriever comprising an elongated tubular handle having a transversely disposed slot in the wall thereof spaced from one end and an opening in the wall spaced inwardly from the slot, a spring 7 wire latch having a mounting coil on one end extended around the handle so that one end of the coil will enter the opening in the handle and having a coil on the opposite end positioned to extend into the slot of i the handle, said latch positioned on and spaced from the lower end of the handle and extending along the handle in angular relation'thereto, means retaining the said latch in position upon the handle, an inner member slidably mounted in the handle and having recesses therein positioned to register with the slot of the handle whereby the coil of the latch extended through the said slot snaps into one of said recesses for retaining the said inner member in adjusted positions in the handle, ball retaining wire loops extended from the said inner member, and means preventing accidental separation of the inner member from the handle.

' LLEWELLYN JONES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,196 Palmer et a1 June 21, 1887 828,586 Vaughan Aug. 14, 1906.

1,343,279 Reynolds June 15, 1920 1,441,045 Tredwell Jan. 2, 1923 1,696,817 St. John Dec. 25, 1928 2,135,232 'Dawn Nov. 1, 1938 2,204,482 Filipiak June 11, 1940 2,376,716 Odin May 22, 1945 2,496,264 Benson Feb. 7, 1950 2,549,257 Staunt Apr. 17, 1951 

